Supporting device.



H. STAMP.

SUPPORTING DEVICE.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. IBIS. 1,273,550. I Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. STAMP.

SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED ran. 26. 191B.

1 ,273,550. Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[EUGVZZOZ PATENT OFFICE.

HARLEY STAM P, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPPORTING DEVICE.

1,273,550. Specification of Let er P n Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed February 26, 1918. Serial No. 219,337.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARLEY STAMP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSupporting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an efficient and comfortablesupporting device for use on the human body and which will serve as abrace and support for the abdomen and when used on men will serve tosupport the scrotum and adjacent parts of the body.

Another object of my invention is to make the several parts adjustableso that they can be adjusted from time to time to suit the comfort ofthe wearer and also that the device can be regulated to fit persons ofvarious sizes and shapes.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which Will be describedhereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which' Figure l is a perspective viewillustrating my invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken centrally through aportion of my invention, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modification incertain of the parts of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an abdominal band whic ispreferably made comparatively wide and of flexible material, such asstrong duck or other webbing or cloth. This band is provided with anadjusting buckle 2 whereby it can be made of larger or smaller diameteraccording to the size of the person and also to suit the comfort of thewearer. As illustrated the band 1 includes an elastic insert 3 which maybe made of fabric including rubber or the like which will slightly yielddue to the movement of the wearer. iVhen the elastic insert is employedit is preferable that it should be made of strong material since thefunction of the abdominal band is to hold in and firmly embrace the bodyadjacent the abdomen and around the back and sides of the body so thatelastic material which would not assist or which would be detrimental tothe desired function of the abdominal band should not be employed.

Two shoulder straps 4 and 5 are prefer ably made of inelastic materialand have their rear ends 6 secured to the rear of the abdominal band 1.These straps i and 5 extend directly upward over the respectiveshoulders and then downwardly in the front so as to cross each other, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. These two straps 4. and 5 are secured togetherat their point of crossing in the front and have adjusting buckles 7which permit them to be tightened or loosened when the device is beingworn on a persons body.

The front end portions of the straps 4 and 5 are secured to links 8which in turn are secured to doubled tabs 9, the latter being sewed tothe front portion of the abdominal band 1. The links 8 permit easymovement and a flexible connection between the straps 4 and 5 and theabdominal band 1.

A strip 10 of material which is elastic lengthwise is, at its upper end,secured be tween and to the shoulder straps 4 and 5 at their crossingpoint 11 and depends centrally from said crossing point and is securedat its lower end to the front of the abdominal band 1. The elastic strip10 includes two sections 12 and 13, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, andthese sections are connected by a link 14 of the same gen eral characteras the links 8 above described. The lower end of the section 12 islooped through the link 14 and is provided with an adjusting buckle 15whereby the strip 10 can be lengthened or shortened so as either toreduce or increase its tension.

Another strip 16, which is preferably made of a softer material than thestrip 10, is elastic lengthwise and at its upper end is secured betweenand to the lower end of the elastic strip 10 and the central frontportion of the abdominal band 1. The strip 16 depends centrally from theabdominal band and at its lower end is attached to the upper frontportion of a pouch or sack 17 adapted to support the scrotum andadjacent parts of the body. 1

Two strips 18 and 19, preferably made of inelastic material, are securedto the top of the pouch 17 adjacent the opposite sides ends are 7supported by. t

.: abdomen above. the-band thereof and these strips extend at an anglewhich flares upwardly. 7 strips at their lower end portions are closertogether than at their upper end portions. These upper the front of theabdominal band 1, as clearly shown in F ig. 1.

The rear bottom portion of the pouch l7 through adjusting buckles 22 and23.011- the sidesofzthebandl...

By the. construction of my. invention as. above describedpthe shoulderstraps 4:? and 5, being crossed. in. the front, serve. to firmly holdand. embrace the portion ofthe 1. Thearesulti of crossing theseshoulder, straps is that itpros' vides a brace substantially. in the,form-of an inverted ;V which. extendsup wardilyfrom p from, the;shoulder straps,

elastic section 12*,

the abdominal band. This in itself p,r0 vides. an efficient abdominalsup-port. By providing the additional centrally. extending elastic.strip 10 which 1depends centrally at theirpoint of crossing,,..to. thefront ofthe abdominal band 1,. a median elastic supgport iscpro-videdfor the, portion of theabdomen' positioned be low the. point of'crossing"of the. shoulder straps. and. between the lower. portions, of said]shoulder straps... In fact the tension of. the-:elastic strip .10- andalso the elastic strip. 1.6, serves. to. slightly raise. the abidomenandthereby relieves strain on thatporti01l-0lth$ "body and; provides asecure. and efficient. support. Furthermore, the tensionexertedibythe-elastic stripselOand 16 serves tofirmlyholdthe. pouch 17.up-against. the body. so. as. .to properly support. the scrotum andtheadjacent parts...

Referringzto. 3,. Ihave shown a con-. struction very much'similarto. theconstrue tion;shown. ,in Eigs,-.1, and 2 with the exceps. tion thatinsteadof providing thestriplO made up entirely of, clasticmaterial '1.provide.astrip ld which is madeup otanins and an elastic section: 18?;Thisdifierence. in arrangement provides a structure which, will. V haveless. elasticity or will yield less than the. construction of thestripdO above described. In all other. no: spects the elements. in .Fig;3- are similar: to those. described in ,connection with Figs. 1 andl2and Lhave, therefore, givensimilar parts corresponding referencenumerals; While I;.have..described my invention as 7 takinganparticnlarjform, itrwill. be. understood thatlthe various-parts of myinvene In other words, the

end portions are secured to positioned below tion may be changed withoutdeparting from the spirit thcreof,".and hen cerl do not limit myself tothe precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty tomake-such ch-angesandalterations as fairly come within the scope of theappended claims;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as -116W and desire tosecure-bylietters Patent is:

1. 'A device of the character described in cluding an abdominal bandshoulder straps crossing inthefront and ittildGllGClitO the band; and-acentral elastic member secured to. the. abdominal band at the frontand-to the shoulder. straps, substantially as described...

2. A device of the character describedi-m. eluding an abdominal band;shoulder-straps crossing in thefront and secured to the bandboth at thefront and rearthereof; and an elastic strip depending centrally from theshoulder straps. at their. point of. crossing andbeing securedat-its-lower endto the abdominal band. substantially as described;

3. A device of the character described fin eluding, an abdominal band;shoulder; straps crossing-in the front and securedto theband bothatthefront andreanthereof; a1relas-.

tic strip depending centrally from-the shouldter. straps.- at theirpoint. of crossing and be:

ing secured at its lower; enditotthe abdomi tic. strip depending.centrallyfromthe shouli der straps. at-their, point of crossing. and.be: ing secured at its lower end tocthe EtbClOIILl-T nalband; and.means. for adjustingysaid straps between their.crossi ngpoint and theabdominal band, substantiallyas described.

5. A. device .of the character. describedeineluding an abdominal band;shoulderstraps crossing in the front and secured to. the band both atthe frontand rear thereof; a. pouch the. ab domin a-l: band; and elasticmeansdepending (centrally; from said shoulder ,straps at theircrossing-point, said means at its. lower. end being- .secured :to saidpouch, substantially; as. described.

6. A-device: of :thecharacter described in. cluding an abdominal :bandshoulder straps crossing; in the frontiand both at thefront and-,rearthereof-.-; a, pouch positioned abelow the.- abdominal .band 612151 ticmeans depending centrally from; said shoulder straps: attheir:crossing.;point; said means atv its. lower; end benign-secured to said ta ngle:-- r ns@:unw r lr ndi t secured; todhe band said abdominaldescribed.

their upper ends secured to band, substantially as 7. A device of thecharacter described including an abdominal band; shoulder strapscrossing in the front and secured to the band both at the front and rearthereof; a pouch positioned below the abdominal band; elastic meansdepending centrally from said shoulder straps at their crossing point,said means at its lower end being secured to said pouch; and strapsconnected to said pouch at its rear lower end, said straps at theiropposite ends being secured to the abdominal band, substantially asdescribed.

8. A device of the character described including an abdominal band;shoulder straps connecting said band both at the front and rear; andelastic means attached to the front Copies of this patent may beobtained for live cents each, by

of said abdominal band and supported by the shoulder straps above saidband, substantially as described.

9. A device of the character described including an abdominal band;shoulder straps connecting said band both at the front and rear; elasticmeans attached to the front of said abdominal band and supported by theshoulder straps above said band; and means for adjusting said shoulderstraps, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARLEY STAMP.

Witnesses AUeUs'rUs B. Corpus, CHAS. E. Po'r'rs.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

